MIPS Technologies and Magma Announce Reference Methodology for High-Performance 24K Core Family

Magma® Design Automation Inc. (Nasdaq: LAVA) and MIPS Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: MIPS) today announced the availability of a validated reference methodology for the high-performance MIPS32® 24K™ microprocessor core family. The reference methodology is based on the Magma Blast Create™ RTL-to-placed gates, Blast Plan™ Pro hierarchical design and the Blast Fusion® physical design solutions. The methodology includes flow documentation, floorplanning information, tool scripts and make files. With a validated reference methodology, mutual customers are assured that the 24K core family can be easily integrated into SOC designs being implemented with Magma software.

The 24K core family is the highest performing synthesizable 32-bit microprocessor family in the embedded industry. It offers up to 625 MHz performance in a 0.13 micron process, optimized design flows from leading EDA suppliers such as Magma, system-level on-chip interconnects and broad support from third party companies. In addition to validating the reference flow, MIPS Technologies has completed the Magma IP verification process for the 24K family and the company has been added to the growing list of "Magma-Ready" IP providers.

"Working with companies such as Magma, 24K core licensees will be assured access to front-to-back end flows from the leaders of the EDA industry," said Russ Bell, vice president of marketing at MIPS Technologies. "We also are very pleased to participate in Magma's IP program and with the growing relationship between our companies."

"We congratulate MIPS Technologies on the rapid success of the 24K product line and welcome them as a Magma-Ready IP provider," said Michael Ma, vice president, Foundry and IP Relationships for Magma. "With the addition of MIPS Technologies to this program, Magma and its partners will be working to provide Magma-Ready versions for over 90 percent of the available processor cores."

MIPS Technologies to Present at MUSIC
At Magma's third annual users group conference, MIPS Technologies will discuss details of the Magma reference flow for the 24K core family. The MUSIC conference will be held in Santa Clara, Calif. and is open to all Magma user companies. For more information, please visit www.magma-da.com/MUSIC.

Availability of the Reference Methodology
Magma is offering customers of the 24K core family the Magma reference methodology with the relevant synthesis scripts and floorplanning information. Support for the reference methodology is also provided by Magma.

About the MIPS32 24K Family
The MIPS32 24K core family includes the 24Kc™, 24Kc Pro, 24Kf™ and 24Kf Pro versions. Tailored SOC design methodologies, an Open Core Protocol (OCP) interconnect structure, standard libraries and on-chip memories from industry-leading companies help speed time-to-market, an important advantage for a processor core suited to embedded consumer applications such as digital and interactive TVs, set-top boxes and DVD players. For more information, visit the MIPS Technologies Website or contact the company at +1 650-567-5000 or email at sales@mips.com.

The "Magma Ready" IP Verification Process
Magma has designed comprehensive soft and hard IP verification processes to enable fast deployment of partner IP products in IC designs. Through the MagmaTies program, partners are given access to Magma software, allowing them to meet the necessary requirements. To qualify, soft IP providers such as MIPS must support Blast Create™ with industry-standard Verilog and VHDL formats and the most popular synthesis pragmas. They must also be able to import constraints and verify the quality of results (QoR), perform formal verification against a known good netlist, validate the timing using a static timing analyzer and create a script and documentation for the product.

About MIPS Technologies
MIPS Technologies, Inc. is a leading provider of industry-standard processor architectures and cores for digital consumer and business applications. The company drives the broadest architectural alliance that is delivering 32- and 64-bit embedded RISC solutions. The company licenses its intellectual property to semiconductor companies, ASIC developers and system OEMs. MIPS Technologies and its licensees offer the widest range of robust, scalable processors in standard, custom, semi-custom and application-specific products. The company is based in Mountain View, Calif., and can be reached at 650-567-5000 or www.mips.com.

About Magma Design Automation
Magma provides leading software for designing highly complex integrated circuits while maximizing Quality of Results with respect to area, timing and power, and at the same time reducing overall design cycles and costs. Magma provides a complete RTL-to-GDSII design flow that includes prototyping, synthesis, place & route, and signal and power integrity chip design capabilities in a single executable, offering "The Fastest Path from RTL to Silicon"™. Magma's software also includes products for advanced physical synthesis and architecture development tools for programmable logic devices (PLDs); capacitance extraction; and characterization and modeling. The company's stock trades on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol LAVA. Visit Magma Design Automation on the Web at www.magma-da.com.